Divided insulator.



E. H. FREEMAN DIVIDED INSULT'JR.

APPLICATION man Nov.1,i91

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

EDG-AR H. FREEMAN, OF TRENTON, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0 TRENTON PORCELAIN COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

DIVIDED INSULATOR.

Specicaton of Letters Patent. Patented July 20, 1915.

Application led November 1, 1912. Serial No. 729,171.

To all whom'z't may concern.'

Be it known that I, EDGAR H. FREEMAN, a citizen of fthe United States, residing at Trenton, in the county of Mercer and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful. Improvements in Divided Insulators, of which the following is a specifin cation.

The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in the constructin of insulators such as are adapted to be employed for supporting electric-wires or similar members which are strung along a ceiling, wall, or like support.

The object of the invention is to provide an insulator of this character which is comparatively. simple and inexpensive in its construction, which can be readily assembled and secured in position, and which will securely grip and hold the wires.

Av furtherobj'ect of t-he invention is to provide an 'insulator formed in complemental and interchangeablefpartswhich are peculiarly constructed so as to eliminate all possibility of a short circuiting of the wires, and which will not injure the insulation upon the wires. f

lVith these and other objects in view, th invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of the parts as will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the novel features thereof being pointed out in the appended claim.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be lhad to the following description and vaccompanying drawing, in which Figure l is a perspective view of an insulator constructed in accordance with the invention, the parts being shown as assembled. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the insulator, the parts thereof being separated. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the insulator. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of one of the parts of the insulator, and Fig. 5 is a plan view of one of the`parts of the'insulator.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following descriptionand indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

Specifically describing the present embodiment of the invention, tthe numerals l and 2 designate the two complemental 'halves or sectionsof the insulator, the said having a number'of special parts left over without the necessary coperating parts to form complete insulators. The sections l and 2 of the insulator are shown in the present instance as so formed as to lmpart a` substantially cylindrical shape to the assembled insulator, although it will be obvious that the insulator mightA be given any other exterior shape or configuration without departing from the spirit of the invention. y

Each of the complemental sections of the insulator is formed with a base?) which is substantially cylindrical in shape and has an axial opening or bore 4 therein.

Projecting from the inner face of the base 3 and disposed on one side of the bore or axial opening 4 is an extension 5, the said extension having a cross sectional area which is substantially equal to one halfof the cross sectional area of the base. The

outer side wall of the extension 5 is a continuation of the outer wall of the base 3,

while the inner side wall 6.0i the extension is on a median plane of the base 3.

Projecting from the inner face of the base 3 and surrounding the bore 4 is a boss portion 7 the length of the said boss portion being preferably about one half the length of the extension 5, and the said extension being provided upon the inner side thereof with a recess 8 which is in substantial alinement with the boss portion 7 so as to receive the boss portion of the opposite insulator section whenthe two sections are assembled. In the present instance the boss portions 7 and the recesses 8 are shown as tapering toward theV ends thereof, since such a construction facilitates to a certain extent the assembling of .the insulator sections. The tapering characteristic of the bosses 7 is of practical importance in the feature of wedging the wire outward into the semi-cir- 'cularwire receiving grooves disposed about the baseportions of the bosses.

The exposed inner face of thebase 3 is formed with a curved and substantially semi-circular depression 9 which extends around the boss portion, 7, the base of the Saiddepression 9 having the radial ribs or teeth 10 projecting therefrom. It will also be observed that the extremity of the extension 5 is provided with a curved groove 11 which extends around the recess S, the ends of the groove communicating with notches 1Q in the sides of the extension, and the base of the groove being provided with the transversehr :disposed and parallel ribs or teeth 13. It'may also be mentioned that the middle or intermediate portion of the groove 11 is shallower and of less depth than the end portions of the groove.

In assembling the two sections 1 and 2 to provide a complete insulator, the extensions 5 of the two sections are arranged side by side with the inner faces 6 thereof abutting against each other, the. boss portion 6 of each member being received within the recess 8 of the opposite member, and the end of each of the extensions 5 being disposed opposite the face of the base member 3 of the other section. The bores or axial openings 4 of the two insulator sections are then in registry with each other, and a screw or other suitable fastening member can be vinserted through the same. The wires or conducting members are inserted between the ends of the extensions 5 and the exposed inner faces of the bases 3, the said wires extending through the notches 12 and being curved laterally around the boss portions 7 so as to it within the corresponding grooves 9 and 11 of the two members. Owing to the fact -that the intermediate or middle portionsof A the grooves 11 are shallower than the end portions of thegrooves 11 it will be obvious that the shallow portion of the groove will tend to force the wire securely into the groove 9, the teeth 13 and 10 of the respective grooves gripping the wire so as to obtain ay lirm hold thereon. These teeth 13 and 10, it will be observed, engage opposite sides of the wire, and are arranged at angles to tightened, the two insulator sections will be vheld securely in position. It is also desired to direct attention to the fact that the boss portions 7 of the insulator sections are always interposed between the conductors and the screw or fastening member employed for holding the insulator sections in position., thereby clin'iinating any possibility of the conductor being brought into contact with the screw, or even being brought so close to the screw as to render the passage of sparks a possibility. The two conductors are thus securely gripped and held in position without danger of sparking or short circuiting,

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A split knob insulator comprising dupli- 'l cate interchangeable members, each having a circular base portion, an extension projecting from one side of the base parallel with the longitudinal axis of the insulator, and an integral tapered cylindrical boss proliecting centrally from the inner face ot' the base alongside of the said extension, each member being further provided with a semicircular wire receiving groove extending about the larger base portion ot the boss.

In testimony whereof .I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EDGAR H. FREEMAN.

IVitnesses t MARY S. CURTIS, ANxm A. HENRY. 

